Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24489726›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2014

The effect of three different (-135°C) whole body cryotherapy exposure durations on elite rugby league players.

James Selfe, Jill Alexander, Joseph T Costello, Karen May, Nigel Garratt, Stephen Atkins, Stephanie Dillon, Howard Hurst, Matthew Davison, Daria Przybyla and 4 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
29citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

29 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Trial
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

James SelfeAllied Health Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Jill AlexanderAHRu, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Joseph T CostelloInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia.
Karen MayAHRu, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Nigel GarrattSSTO, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Stephen AtkinsSENS, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Stephanie DillonSENS, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Howard HurstSENS, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Matthew DavisonSENS, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Daria PrzybylaSENS, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Andrew ColeyWigan Warriors Rugby League, Central Park, Montrose Avenue, Wigan, United Kingdom.
Mark BitconWigan Warriors Rugby League, Central Park, Montrose Avenue, Wigan, United Kingdom.
Greg LittlerAHRu, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.
Jim RichardsAHRu, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhole body cryotherapy (WBC) is the therapeutic application of extreme cold air for a short duration. Minimal evidence is available for determining optimal exposure time. PURPOSE: To explore whether the length of WBC exposure induces differential changes in inflammatory markers, tissue oxygenation, skin and core temperature, thermal sensation and comfort.

methodThis study was a randomised cross over design with participants acting as their own control. Fourteen male professional first team super league rugby players were exposed to 1, 2, and 3 minutes of WBC at -135°C. Testing took place the day after a competitive league fixture, each exposure separated by seven days.

resultsNo significant changes were found in the inflammatory cytokine interleukin six. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in deoxyhaemoglobin for gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis were found. In vastus lateralis significant reductions (p<0.05) in oxyhaemoglobin and tissue oxygenation index (p<0.05) were demonstrated. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in skin temperature were recorded. No significant changes were recorded in core temperature. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in thermal sensation and comfort were recorded.

conclusionThree brief exposures to WBC separated by 1 week are not sufficient to induce physiological changes in IL-6 or core temperature. There are however significant changes in tissue oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin, tissue oxygenation index, skin temperature and thermal sensation. We conclude that a 2 minute WBC exposure was the optimum exposure length at temperatures of -135°C and could be applied as the basis for future studies.

Indexed as

CryotherapyCold TemperatureCross-Over StudiesFootballHumansInterleukin-6MaleMuscle, SkeletalOxyhemoglobinsSkin TemperatureThermosensingYoung AdultIL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6Oxyhemoglobins

Identifiers

PMID24489726
PMCPMC3906033

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.